More Shopping Tips

My antique starfish broach from Memory Lane

Here are some more ideas on how to enjoy a good wardrobe for less:

1. Shop end-of-season

You do not have to buy cheap clothing if you shop near the end of season.  Last winter I got myself a nearly complete wardrobe using handmedowns and end-of-season clothes.  My bottom line was that I would not pay anything more than $20 for pants or shirts.  I got great trousers for $12 and a sweater for $7, and two blouses for about $9 and $17, and jeans for $20, just to name a few examples. I have saved hundreds on leather and wool coats, as well, by shopping in the fall or winter.

2. Shop at The Bay during sales

I actually do not visit trendy stores that often.  Instead, I like The Bay, because of its sales.  Where else can you get 70% sales on designer clothing on a regular baiss?  I love getting 70% or even 80% on Tommy Hilfiger, Guess and other brands.  If you have an HBC credit card and points card, you save even more.  I’ve used hundreds of dollars worth of free gift cards, by using points coupons while I shop. Other surprising places I’ve found hidden gems: Mark Work Warehouse (they have lots of coupons and discounts) and, believe it or not, TSC stores, which have button down country style work shirts that are actually nice enough to wear to the office! This summer I bought a cute shirt for $9.99. I have also been told that you can get cheap clothes at Sam’s Club, Costco and Joe’s (at Loblaws). 

3. Buy good quality, multi-purpose stuff

The other day I bought some pants and a sweater at Marks Work Warehouse.  I went during a 20% off sale on already reduced prices.  The sweater was made of good material (had some wool and some cashmere), was black, zip-up, with a hood, nice enough to wear to work but casual enough to wear anywhere else.  If you check the quality of the item before buying, and buy mostly items you can wear again and again, through different seasons and in different scenarios, you will stretch your dollars further by limiting your needs.

4. Repair and mend your clothes and shoes

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I can’t believe what a difference it makes.  I had been scrubbing at a stain in my pants for weeks and finally got it out.  I’m glad I didn’t give up.  I would have had to buy a new pair and I just got them last January, and they are terrific pants for work.

5. Trade with friends

I have done this with friends, but I also trade clothes with my sister and mom, too.  As you switch your wardrobe over from summer to winter, it’s a perfect time to go through your closet and see what you need and what you don’t.  If your friends and family do the same, you may be able to find clothes that fit each other.  

6. Shop at antique stores

Don’t worry, you won’t be buying underwear there.  What you will find is jewelry and purses or other accessories, for far less than you will pay anywhere else.  I have lots of cute broaches that I am frequently complemented on, which I got for just a few dollars, and a leather purse that is back in style now (faux alligator print, which I think was made in the 50s but is still in great shape) for $10.  My favourite place is Memory Lane, in London Ontario.

Another antique broach from Memory Lane

Gone bananas!

I learned a great money saving tip from Money Saving Mom recently: Buy discounted bananas when you’re planning on freezing them!  I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of that one before.  Usually about half of my bananas get put in the freezer and I use them for fruit shakes and for baking. So why pay full price?

An exercise in frugality (part one)

I have decided to write a three-part series on how to help yourself during a tough frugal period.  When you make the decision to get out of debt or encounter a life change that shrinks your income, a change of lifestyle is order – but it isn’t easy.  You may need to trim back because you decide to start a new job, have a baby, get a divorce, find yourself with ill health or a disability, become unemployed, or like all of us, see the cost of living rise and the value of our savings deplete.

I’ll be writing this three-part series to help any of you who really need to cut back and are finding the transition tough.  It consists of three “exercises” – things you can do that will help keep you inspired and fulfilled.

Exercise One: Getting Organized

Step ONE: Go through your entire home and sort out what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of – do this in your basement, bathroom, kitchen, livingroom and bedroom.  Whenever I decide I need to trim down and decrease my spending, I find that going through my wardrobe, closets or storage and pantry is a big help.  It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it!  Here’s why:

1. By going through everything you own, you realize just how blessed you are.   When I was living on less than $18,000/yr in one of the most expensive cities in Canada and three-quarters of my income went to rent, I used this exercise and never felt poor.  Instead, I looked around and saw just how well I was doing. Pantry and fridge full of food.  Clothes in the closet. Apartment pleasant, cozy and clean. 

2. You will find things you forgot you had.  You will discover clothes that have fallen to the back of the closet.  The back of the pantry or freezer may yield goods you forgot about – like lentils, rice, beans or baking supplies that you can now use up.  Your bathroom probably has supplies you forgot about too, including things to treat yourself with (lotion or bubble bath you forgot about) or even unopened goodies that you can include in gifts for others. In your basement you may find stuff that you forgot about that can now become useful.  You may even find great items that have never been used and, if you do not need them, they can be re-gifted.  Going through your living room, you may find board games, video games, cds, books, movies, and other “stuff” that you have not used in ages!  It will all feel like new again.

3. You will realize how fruitless it is to shop.  You are likely to find all kinds of stuff that, at the time, seemed important  to buy, and now is now just collecting space.  It makes you realize that shopping just clutters up your home – it doesn’t truly contribute to your life.

Step TWO: When you go through your home, be creative and re-purpose stuff once deemed useless.  If the t-shirt no longer fits, you can cut it up and use it for rags. Or better yet, sew it into a cloth bag.  Use denim to create cute envelope holders, purses, or other crafts.  If you don’t wear the jewelry any more, you can use the beads for a child’s craft project, or make a new piece of jewelry out of it. Can that container be used to hold homemade cleaning supplies, snacks, or be used as a gift basket?  Lots of items can be used in gift wrapping, crafts for kids – really the opportunities are endless. Google the name of the item (eg. “denim”) with the word “crafts” and see what you come up with!

Step THREE: Before giving away what you do not use, ask friends to do a “swap” rummage sale.  You can each have a look at what you’re prepared to get rid of, and then do a trade.  Or, put the extra stuff on e-bay, craigslist, or go to frugalshopper.ca and swap with someone from the online community.

Let me know if you use this exercise, and please share your thoughts.  Did you have any realizations?  Or did you find clothes, games, or food that you forgot all about – or have re-purposed?

My first giveaway starts today! Free coupons galore!

On Friday night I reached my goal of 1000 visits! I can’t thank my visitors enough!

To celebrate, I’m doing a giveaway – not a sponsored giveaway, just a free giveaway using a stash of coupons that I know you will use and enjoy!

To enter, just leave a comment under this post and be entered into a random draw for 2 coupon prize packs. It will include an assortment of coupons for all kinds of items. You have 8 days to enter, starting today (Sunday, November 2) through Sunday, November 9 (inclusive). I will contact you on Monday, November 10, to let you know if you have won.

Unfortunately, I will have to limit it to residents of Canada only, because I will be giving away Canadian coupons. I am also going to have to exclude my friends in Quebec, because not all the coupons are valid there! Sorry! However, residents of all other provinces of Canada are welcome to participate!

The best deals for your shopping this week

This morning I scanned the flyers to check out the best deals.  All the stores try to make it look like they are giving the best deals, but not all advertised prices are really that great.  By price-shopping and comparing prices on a regular basis, you get to know which prices are really good and which ones are not.  You can see the full flyers for your region (if in Canada) at flyerland.ca but I have taken the liberty of scrolling through the flyers to point out the really good deals!  My choice this week will be, if I have the time, Loblaws, although some of those deals in the stores are pretty tempting too. 

FOOD BASICS

Black Diamond Chedder Cheese, 520g – $4.44

Equality Large White Eggs, $1.99

Life Brand cereal, 600-650g, $2.49 – with a coupon from previous box – $1.99

Oasis Juice, 960ml, 99¢ – with coupon – 24¢

Oasis 100% fruit juice blend, $2.99, with coupon – $1.99

Coke, 18pack – $3.99 (works out to 22¢ a can)

Pet beds – $7.99

Flaked Light Tuna – 79¢

Tomatoes on the Vine – 99¢/lb

Avocados – 5 pack/$2.49

PRICE CHOPPER

Black Diamond Chedder Cheese, (including old) 520g - $4.44

Gold Seal Salmon, 213g – 99¢

Heinz Beans – 79¢

Classico pasta sauce – $2.59

Cascade auto dish detergent, 1.7kg – $2.49 – with coupon from Brandsaver – $1.99

Tomatoes on the Vine, 99¢/lb

LOBLAWS

Lantic or Redpath white sugar,2kg – $1.69

Kellogg’s Cereals, 350-775g – 2/$5 – with coupon – $1.50 each

Robin Hood flour, 2-2.5kg – $4.49 – with coupon – $3.75

Crisco vegetable oil – $3.99 – with coupon – $2.99

Tenderflake pie shells (2) – $2.99 – with coupon – $2.49

Pantene shampoo, 200-375g – $3.49 – with coupon – $2.25

Tampax – $2.77 – with coupon – $1.52

Always – $2.77 – with coupon – $1.77

Classico Pasta Sauce, 270-700g – $2.49

Silhouette Yogurt – $1.99

Canola Harvest canola oil – $2.99

Plus – get 3x the points on PC points and 2x the points with your PC Mastercard

Plus – get 5000 points when you spend $75 or more, (worth $5) or 10,000 points when you spend $150 (worth $10)

SHOPPERS DRUG MART

Royale Toilet Paper, 24 roll (2ply) – $4.99 – with coupon - $3.99

Kotex pads or liners – $1.99 – with coupon – 99¢

Villagio Bread – $1.69

Ombra body wash – 25% off

Duracell mini battery charger – 20% – use with coupon for $5 off

Plus: This weekend get a free $10 food card (Montana’s, Harvey’s, Kelsey’s, Swiss Chalet or Milestones) when you spend $50 or $20 when you spend $75

Avoid the impulse buy

Tempted by impulse purchases?  Many small purchases, including those small items you add at the end of your shopping trip, add up, and add up quickly.  There are simple ways to avoid this.  One of course, is limit the number of times you go shopping – you’ll be less tempted to buy on impulse.  But beyond that, I use two strategies to avoid paying extra for things you grab at the register, like gum and magazines:

Magazine subscriptions are far cheaper than paying the cover price – in fact you’ll probably make up the price in about 4 purchases.  For example, a subscription to Canadian Living costs between $15 and $25, depending on the deal you score.  But a single copy costs $3.99, so you end up paying at least double the cost.  I used to think that I was saving by not buying a subscription, because I figured that I was not buying enough magazines to make it worth it.  But with Canadian Living, you only need to buy 4 issues before the subscription becomes a better deal.

If you regularly buy gum at the register, you’ll end up paying about $1.50 a pack but if you buy gum in a family sized pack you’ll probably spend somewhere in the vicinity of 75¢ a pack.

Know you’re impulses and find ways to avoid feeding them, or satiate them by planning ahead and making these purchases ahead of time!